Curtain-fastener.



E. J. LOMBARD. CURTAIN FASTENER.

Patented July 20, 1909.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE J. LOMBARD, OF HUDSON, WISCONSIN.

GURTAIN-FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 20, 1909.

Application filed March 6, 1909. Serial No. 481,748.

My invention relates more particularly to that class of curtain fasteners for vestibule cars in which the holding element of the fastener is made yielding so that the free end of the curtain is released when the coaches or cars to which the curtain is applied, are uncoupled,

The primary object of my invention is to provide a fastener which is simple and inexpensive in construction and which is not liable to get out of order when subjected to ordinary use.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side view of a detail portion of a curtain used for protecting the inner edges of the side wall and face-plates between the vestibule sections of two cars details of the face-plates and bellows being shown and my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1 showing the fastener in the act of being opened to release the curtain; Fig. 3 is an enlarged side view of a detail of the fastener which is shown attached to a portion of the curtain; Fig. 4: is a section of Fig. 3 taken on the line X-X, the curtain not being shown and Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the bolt withdrawn to release the fastener.

In the drawings, A and B represent the face-plates of two adjacent vestibule ends of a pair of coaches and OC'the bellows which are ordinarily employed for closing the passageway at the sides of the doorway between the vestibule ends of the coaches.

D represents a curtain roller and E the curtain which is adapted to be wrapped automatically upon the roller D, said roller 5 being spring actuated to wind the curtain.

thereon in the usual manner the actuating mechanism not being illustrated in the drawing. On the free end of the curtain is a rigid rod 2 around which the edge of the curtain is fastened so that when my improved fastener F is secured thereto and held, the entire end of the curtain is sup ported.

My improved fastener consists of a skeleton frame 3 which is formed with a pair of split collars 4; and 5, the sides of said collars having pairs of flanges 6 between which the curtain E is clamped by means of binding screws 7. The collars embrace the rigid rod 2 over the curtain and are clamped to said holding rod when the binding screws are set. These collars are laterally supported upon a connecting web 8 and on the sides of this web are formed a pair of lateral supporting arms 9 and 10 to which a vertical lock bar.

11 is secured to engage ,with a hook 12 which is fastened on one of the face-plates B. The lock bar is hinged by means of a pintle 13 upon the upper support 9 and the lower end of said lock bar is formed with a socket 14: into which a bolt 15 is adapted to project to hold the lock bar in closed position as illustrated in Fig. 1. The bolt 15 slides vertically through the lower support 12, an opening 16 in said support being provided for that purpose. The lower portion of the bolt 15 is smaller in diameter than the upper portion and the lower portion of the opening 16 in the support 10 is partially closed thus forming shoulders between which an extension spring 17 is placed to normally force the bolt into engagement with the lower end of the lock bar 11.

The lower support is provided with a depending projection 18 and for the purpose of withdrawing the bolt from engagement with the lock bar, a triangular lever piece 19 is provided one angle of said lever being pivoted at 20 through a slot 21 in said lever to the lower extension of the bolt 15, another of said angles being pivoted at 22 to the depending extension 18 and the remaining angle being perforated at 23 to admit of fastening a chain 24 for the purpose of tilting the lever 19 down into the position illustrated in Fig. 5. The free end of the chain 24: is adapted to be fastened over a hook 25 which is secured to the end plate A by means of the screws 26. The length of i the chain 2 is proportioned loosely so that under ordinary conditions, the fastener will remain closed and in engagement with the hook 12 but should an attendant fail to disconnect the curtain when a pair of adjacent coaches are uncoupled, the chain 2 1 will serve to withdraw the bolt 15 from engagement with the lock bar and the excessive strain upon the curtain when the coaches are separating, will tilt the lock bar back and cause it to yield and disconnect from the hook 12 whereupon, the curtain will be Wrapped around the curtain roller D automatically in the usual manner.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principle of operation of my invention, together with the construction which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the construction shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set forth within the scope of the following claim.

Having described my invent-ion, What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is

A curtain fastener of the class set forth, comprising, a pair of laterally disposed split collars connected by a longitudinal web and formed with a pair of lateral supports on the side of said Web, a lock bar hinged by one end to one of said supports, a bolt adapted to engage the free end of said lock bar, a spring for normally projecting said bolt and a lever fulcrumed on the bolt support and freely connected to said bolt and means for swinging said lever to withdraw the bolt from the lock bar against the tension of said spring, for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EUGENE J. LOMBARD. IVitnesses G. V. BELL, F. M. Loa nann. 

